


Give Me One Day Longer

by alistoney



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Bittersweet, Childhood Friendship, Gen, Human AU, previous character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 04:30:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20186287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistoney/pseuds/alistoney
Summary: The house looked the same as always. There was the same porch swing Magnus and Ragnor used to do their homework on. The one step that jutted out more than the others on the stairs. The shadow from the oak tree beside the house that cast shade onto the grass. It was all the same as it had been since Magnus was a kid.Except now, the for sale sign had been taken down.





	Give Me One Day Longer

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 

> For Week 4: The Boy Next Door

Magnus froze on the sidewalk when he noticed it. 

The house looked the same as always. There was the same porch swing Magnus and Ragnor used to do their homework on. The one step that jutted out more than the others on the stairs. The shadow from the oak tree beside the house that cast shade onto the grass. It was all the same as it had been since Magnus was a kid. 

Except now, the for sale sign had been taken down. 

He and Ragnor had grown up and moved out of their childhood homes years ago. Magnus shouldn’t still be so attached to a house his friend hadn’t lived in for  _ years _ before he’d passed away and yet seeing the for sale sign up in the all too familiar front lawn had been heart shattering. 

He found that the sign’s absence was worse. 

Magnus startled out of his thoughts when a car turned into the driveway. He realized he’d been standing in front of the house much longer than would be considered normal. 

The car parked in the driveway and Magnus watched as a young redheaded girl climbed out. She titled her head worriedly when she saw Magnus.

“Are you okay?” She asked, genuine concern in her eyes. 

“Yeah,” Magnus got out around the lump in his throat, “I just-“ 

The girl smiled at him encouragingly and Magnus couldn’t help but blurt it out. 

“My best friend used to live here,” he said quietly, “he passed away recently.” 

“I’m sorry,” the girl said, voice soft but no pity in her tone the way most people responded when Magnus told them. Instead she smiled a sad smile and looked at him like she understood. This was someone who knew about loss. 

Magnus smiled back. 

“I’m Clary,” the girl said, holding out a hand and smiling a little brighter when Magnus took it, “do you want to come inside?” 

Once inside, Clary disappeared to her room for a second. Magnus took the time to look around. The house had different furniture but it was the same place Magnus had spent countless hours when growing up. It felt like Ragnor. Like  _ home _ . 

When Clary returned, she was holding something.

“I thought you looked familiar. I didn’t know why until you said your friend used to live here,” She handed him the object, “I found this.” 

Magnus looked at it and found that it was a photo. One that brought back a vivid memory of the day before graduation. He, Ragnor, and Cat had taken a photo in front of the oak tree.  _ To immortalize their friendship  _ Magnus remembered saying.

He blinked back tears as he looked down at his best friend’s exasperated face, smushed between him and Cat. 

“I thought you might want to keep it,” Clary said with a knowing smile. 

“Thank you,” Magnus whispered, chuckling in surprise when she pulled him into a hug. 

“You can come back anytime,” Clary whispered when she pulled away. 

And Magnus did.


End file.
